Means for applying radium luminescent indicia without personal danger



MEANS FOR APPLYING RADIUM LUMINESCENT INDICIA WITHOUT PERSONAL DANGER Filed Oct. 21 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet l A UM/GTd Z4 6 INVENTOR BYi ATTORNEYS y MEANS FOR APPLYING RADIUM LUMINESGENT INDICIA WITHOUT PERSONAL DANGER Filed Oct. 21, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 //oward Z- 336 INVENTOR May 22, 1934. P 1,960,187

MEANS FOR APPLYING RADIUM LUMINESGENT INDICIA WITHOUT PERSONAL DANGER Filed Oct. 21, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR BY/fw ATTORNEYJ w fi May 22, 1934. PAGE 1,960,187

MEANS FOR APPLYING RADIUM LUMINESCENT INDICIA WITHOUT PERSONAL DANGER Filed 09-12, 21, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 fi ou/ar/ Z. "aye INVENTOR lav/Q4 ATTORNEY5 v 7 Patented May 22, 1934 PATENT OFFICE MEANS FOR APPLYING RADIUM LUMI- NESCENT INDICIA WITHOUT PERSONAL DANGER Howard L. Page, Chicago, Ill.

Application October 21,

21 Claims.

This invention relates to methods and means for applying indicia to a receiving surface, and with particularity to a method whereby such indicia may be applied without requiring any close physical or personal contact with the material constituting the indicia.

While the invention disclosed herein relates to a process which is capable of use in any connection where characters or indicia are to be transmj ferred or applied to a receiving surface, the invention is of outstanding value in the field of radium luminescent product. For example, in the case of articles that are required to be coated with radium luminescent compounds and/ or mixtures, it is highly desirable that the operation of applying luminescent compounds be effected without necessitating the operator handling or being in close contact with the radium bearing material. The means and process according to this invention enable radium bearing or other similar materials to be applied to a receiving surface with a minimum of danger to the operator. In the case of radium luminescent materials it has been found, as a matter of fact, that in order that the self-luminescent material, for example zinc sulphide may retain its efficiency as a selfluminescent source, it is highly desirable that this material which is usually crystalline be subjected to no excessive pressures or mechanical contacts. For example in the known methods of mixing socalled radium luminous paint, using zinc sulphide or the like, it is necessary to agitate the crystals of the zinc sulphide in the liquid carrier in order to insure the proper relation or consistency of the mixture since the crystals, because of their comparative heaviness, usually tend to separate out or settle. The usual method heretofore employed has required the operator to stir manually the mixture or paint at very frequent intervals. This of course requires very close contact with the material, and at the same time, unless the material is stirred at regular intervals the desired consistency and/or uniformity of the paint is not attained.

Accordingly it is one of the principal objects of this invention to provide a method of applying paints, such as radium luminescent paints, to a receiving surface whereby the person controlling the application is not required to come into close physical contact with the paint.

Another ancillary object is the provision of a method whereby the luminous paints may be applied with a maximum uniformity.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method of transferring indicia material to a 1931, Serial No. 570,107

final receiving surface wherein the said material, is initially wet, but is. allowed to dry prior to the actual transfer thereof to the receiving surface.

Another object of the invention is to provide; a method for automatically applying radium luminous paints or the like to an indicia transfer member.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel method of transferring indicia material from a carrier to a final receiving surface.

A feature of the invention relates to a method of transferring indicia from a carrier to a final receiving surface wherein the indicia material is allowed to dry in. a mold and the final receiving surface is provided with a portion of its surface covered with an adhesive which acts to extract the indicia material from the mold, said adhesive also serving a fasten the transfer indicia to the final receiving surface.

A further feature of the invention relates to the combination of a transfer member having embossings or raised characters thereon corresponding to desired indicia, said embossings or characters being provided with a coating of adhesive material in conjunction with a mold for molding radium luminous materials to the same shape as the embossings on said carrier.

A further feature of the invention relates to a machine for achieving the foregoing objects and embodying certain of the foregoing features.

A still further feature relates to methods and means for manipulating radium luminescent paints in their application to a final receiving surface, such as a dial or the like.

Other features and advantages not specifically enumerated will be apparent after a consideration of the following detail descriptions and the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Figure I is a front elevation of the improved machine;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of a detail on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional View of a detail on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a detail on th line 55 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a similar view on'the line 66, of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a front elevation of the auxiliary apparatus for withdrawing the formed characters from the mold, and for applying them to the final support;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a detail perspective view of the mold shown in the preceding figures;

Fig. 10 is a detailperspective View of a typical form of final support or receiving surface to which the radium luminous indicia are to be applied.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, 1 is a refillable hollow cylinder to hold the radium luminous paint or paste from which the characters are formed. This cylinder is rigidly mounted on a vertical turn-table 2, and it has a spout 2a through which the paste is ejected. The cylinder is secured to the turn-table or wheel 2 by means of a fixed jaw 3, and a hinge jaw 4, the latter, being pressed toward the stationary jaw by means of a coiled spring 5, so that the cylinder may be readily removed when empty.

Within the cylinder, there is a piston 1a fastened to the lower end of a rack 6 which meshes with a pinion '7 that is secured to the outer end of a shaft 8 (Fig. 3) which rotates in a bearing 9 that is fast on the wheel 2.

Shaft 8 has threaded to it at 8a a non-magnetic shaft 10 which has a slot and key connection, as shown at 10a with a brass shell 12 which is rigidly secured to an iron cap 13. A leaf spring 14 that is secured to the rear side of the plate 2 and engages the shell, acts to yieldingly move the shell and its cap toward the plate 2.

Plate 2 carries a similar assembly of parts in cylinder 18 and bearing 15, and a similar brass shell 16 on which is mounted an iron cap 1'7. The

plate is fast on a horizontal shaft 19 which rotates in the arms 20 and 20a. of the stationary frame of the machine. Said frame also supports the iron pole piece 21 of a rotatable electro-magnet 22 onone end of which there is mounted insulated contact rings 23 and 24, against which press carbon-contacts 25 and 26 that are urged outwardly by springs 2'7 and 28 that are secured in position by threaded terminals 29 and 30 through which current is led intermittently to said electro-magnet. The portion of the support 20 which carries the parts 25 to 30 inclusive, may be made of insulating material, so as not to interfere with the passage of current to the electromagnet.

and 36 that are in mesh with a gear 35a that is fast on the shaft 31. Gears 35 and 36 also mesh with an internal gear 3'7 that is loosely mounted on the shaft 31 and is fixed to a gear 38.

The shaft 31 is continuously rotated by means of a worm gear 39 that is fixed on the shaft and driven by a worm 40. 1 p

A gear 41, fast on the shaft 19, meshes with the loose gear 32, and a notched disk 42 is fixed to the shaft 19 and is arranged in alignment with the gear 38. As best shown in Fig.5, the disk 42 is provided with a pair of diametrically opposite notches 43 and 44. These notches and the teeth of the gear 38 cooperate with a fiange 45 on a rockable rod 46 that is pivotally mounted on the machine frame at 47. A spring 46a normally urges the rod toward the disk 42, and it will be understood that when the flange 45 is in engagement with either one of the notches of the disk, the latter will be prevented from rotating, while if the flange engages any tooth of the gear 38,

" such gear cannot rotate.

In operation, the worm continuously drives the worm gear 39, thereby rotating shaft 31, while the flange engages the notch 44 and holds the shaft 19 and plate 2 in such a fixed position that cylinder 1 is in the position shown in Fig. 1. The paste or other material with which the cylinder has been previously filled, may now be forced through the nozzle 2a by completing an electric circuit through magnet 22 which causes iron cap 13 to be drawn into engagement with the pole piece 21, and the contact thus formed, suffices to rotate the gear 7, thereby forcing the rack 6 and its associated piston downwardly and ejecting paste from the nozzle. Obviously, the flow may be stopped by breaking the electric circuit, whereupon spring 14 moves the brass shell 12 away from the pole 21 and disconnects the cap 13 from said pole. Upon the completion of this action, rod 46 may be moved in a manner hereinafter described to release disk 42 and engage toothed wheel 38, whereupon the gears 35a, 35, 36, 32 and 41 cause shaft 19 to rotate plate 2 one-half a revolution, or until the notch 43 registers with the flange 45, at which time the spring 46a will cause the flange to move into said notch and thereby cause cylinder 18 to halt in the position previously occupied by cylinder 1.

This intermittent changing of the positions of cylinders 1 and 18 is important, as it efiectually keeps the contents of the cylinders properly mixed.

As best shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a resilient tube 49 of rubber or the like is arranged below the nozzle 2a, and is held in place by a bracket 50, and this tube extends into and preferably between jaws 51 and 52, which act to squeeze the tube and cut off the flow therefrom. Jaw 51 is an offset on shaft 53, while jaw 52 is an offset on a rockable sleeve 54 in which the shaft 53 may rock. A bevel gear 55 is fixed to the shaft, and a similar gear 56 is fixed to the sleeve, and these parts are all supported by a bearing 5'7 in which the sleeve 54 rocks. The shaft and sleeve are moved in opposite directions by means of a bevel gear 58 which meshes with the gears 55 and 56, and is fixed to the upper end of a rock shaft 59. The latter is journaled in suitable supports on the frame, and is provided at its lower end with a fixed arm 60 that is connected by a link 61 to a hand operated lever 62. The lever can swing upwardly and downwardly on a pin 63 which projects from a post 64 that is swiveled on a support 65. This construction allows the lever to move upwardly or downwardly, and to swing horizontally.

The operating lever has a handle portion 625 which can slide over a support 66 on which is mounted suitably insulated electric contacts 67 and 68. -These contacts are connected to the terminals 29 and 30 by means of conducting wires 67a and 68a, and in one of these wires, a battery 681) or the like is interposed. Obviously, when the handle bridges the contacts 6'7 and 68, the electro-magnet 22 will be energized.

As all of the movements of the machine are controlled by the single lever 62, that lever has The belt also drives a main drive pulley 80, fast on a shaft 81 that is journaled in a support 82 This shaft has a fast bevel gear 83 that drives asimilar gear 84, fixed on the lower end: of a shaft 85, on which the worm 40 is also mounted.

For the purpose of rocking the rod 46, the lower end of the latter is connected by a link 86 to the main operating lever 62, and as shown at 86c, the link is connected to the lever by a lost motion device, so that the lever may swing horizontally for some distance before the link 86 commences to move the rod 46.

Shaft 77 carries also a worm 87 that drives a worm gear 88 that is fixed to a spindle 39 which. rotates a horizontal turn-table 90 that is recessed to hold the mold 91.

In operation, an empty mold 91 having in its upper face, cavities or identations to form the characters such as figures or letters, is placed on the turn-table 90, so as to rotate with the latter. Then the operating lever 62 is raised vertically until the upper surface of the mold is in contact with the under surfaces of the jaws 51 and 52, and the mold is caused to rotate below the jaws by virtue of the friction drive established between pulley 78 and belt 79. Operating lever 62 is then moved toward contacts 67 and 68, and due to the link 61, the gear 58 acts to open the jaws 51 and 52. As the operating lever swings further over the support 66,. it will bridge the contacts 67 and 68, and complete the electric circuit, thereby energizing the electro-magnet which is in constant rotation, as it is fixedly mounted on the shaft 31. Consequently, pole piece 21 attracts and firmly holds the iron cap 13, and this results in the turning of the pinion '7 and downward movement of the rack 6, which causes the paste or semi-fluid mixture in the cylinder 1 to fiow through the fiat tube 49 and fill the recessed portions (Fig. 9) of the mold 91. When the mold is entirely filled, the motion of operating lever 62 is continued in the same di-' rection, past contacts 67 and 68, which results in breaking the electric circuit and stopping the motion of the rack 6. At this point of its travel, operating lever 62, through the previously described linkage, causes plate 2 to rotate until cylinder 18 is in an operative position, thereby completing the cycle of motions. Now, operating lever 62 is slightly raised so as to clear contacts 6'7 and 68, and is returned to starting position and this causes the jaws 51 and 52 to close and the elevator '70 to lower, toprovide space for the removal of the full mold and insertion of an empty one.

Among the particular advantages of the machine are the mixing of the paste or material in both cylinders, whereby the solid particles are prevented from settling out.

The action of the jaws is of advantage as they are nearly in contact with the surface of the mold, thereby assisting in preventing the smearing of the paste on the mold.

The action of the lower end of the rubber tube 49 is of advantage, as when it is between the jaws, the flexible material bears against the mold and acts as a wiper on the surface of the mold, thereby cleaning the latter.

The construction of the machine is such as toallow of the placing of molds of different sizes on the turn-table 90.

The spring clips holding cylinders 1 and 18, allow the operator to remove the cylinders and insert refilled ones without delay, and furthermore, any number of cylinders may be employed,

,; and these may be filled with pastes of different types or colors, and may be successively used to fill different parts of a single mold. The mold itself is, however, one of the principal features of the invention. In operation, the mold is filled with a mixture or paste which, upon drying, leaves solid characters, and this necessitates a mixture having some adhesive properties. It is manifest that any liquid with such properties will tend to adhere to the mold itself, and it would be very difficult to remove the molded characters from the mold.

I have found that one of the most suitable materials for such a mold is wax. Wax has the unusual feature of not adhering to the adhesive used to compound the paste or semi-fluid mixture, with which the mold is filled, and it also carries an excellent surface polish which materially assists in producing a molded figure having a perfect contour and surface. In forming the mold, the wax is brought in contact with the pat tern While in a liquid or plastic condition, and after it cools and solidifies, it may be readily removed from the pattern, and it will have in its face, indentations or cavities corresponding to the projecting portions of the pattern, and in this way, the mold 91 is formed. Such a mold may be used any number of times to produce the finished letters or figures.

While I have found wax to give excellent results, it is evident that the mold might be of a solid nature, such as wood covered with a thin layer of wax, or the mold might be of an alloy of metals which carries or contains sufiicient wax or similar material to produce a mold which is capable of holding the paste until the latter hardens, and then readily releases the characters thus formed. In my method, I contemplate using a mold of this character, and it will be evident that such method may be used to unusual advantage in the forming of letters, figures, or other designs from any phosphorescent or radium active compound.

In order to remove the dried characters from the mold, I place the latter, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, upon one of two stools 92 and 93 that project from a carriage 94 which can travel along a track 95. The stool 93 supports a disk 96 having raised characters 97 thereon which correspond in size and arrangement exactly with the characters 98 which are embedded in the mold. An adhesive substance such as wet glue is applied to the raised characters by means of a suitable roll or the like, and then the carriage is shifted to bring the disk 96 beneath an electromagnet 99 which is furnished with current in any suitable way. The magnet is supported by a slidable rod 100 which is pivotally connected at 101, to the intermediate portion of an operating lever 102. One end of this lever is pivotal- 1y connected at 103 to an arm 104 which is rigidly united with a guide 105 in which the rod slides. The guide is carried by a post 106 which projects upwardly from the base.

While the electro-magnet is in the position shown in Fig. '7, a final support 107, such as a metal disk, is placed on its under side, and then, when current is turned into the magnet, this final support will adhere to the electro-magnet. Now, if the lever 102 is operated to depress the final support into engagement with the raised characters 9'7, the adhesive previously applied to those characters will be transferred to the final support. Then the lever 102 is raised and the carriage is shifted to bring the mold 91 into register with the electro-magnet, and when the .operating each plunger, a constantly rotating lever 102 is depressed, the adhesive on the final support will register with the characters 98 of the mold, and the characters 98 will be caused to adhere to the final support. Then, when the lever 102 is raised, the adhesive will draw the characters 98 out of the mold and afterwards the current may be turned oif from the electro-magnet, and the final support with the characters 98 rigidly secured thereto may be removed from the apparatus.

From the foregoing it is believed that my method and apparatus may be readily understood by those skilled in the art, and I am aware that changes may be made in the details disclosed, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as expressed in the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine of the character described, a paste chamber, means for oscillating said chamber to stir the contents of said chamber, and means for forcing said contents out of said chamber, the last mentioned means including a rotating electro-magnetic clutch and a plunger intermittently operated thereby.

2. In a machine of the character described, a constantly rotating shaft, a head carrying a plurality of chambers containing radium luminescent paint, a mold, a platform carrying the said mold and adapted to be rotated beneath said chambers, means for intermittently rotating said head to bring said chambers alternately into discharge relation with said mold, and means for intermittently raising and lowering said platform in timed relation to the rotation of said head.

3. In a machine of the character described the combination of a rotatable head carrying a pair of paint chambers, plungers mounted for oscillation in each of said chambers to force out the paint, a rotatable member for intermittently shaft, and an electro-magnetic clutch for intermittently coupling said member to said shaft.

4. In a machine of the character described, a constantly rotating shaft, 2. pair of shafts adapted I to be intermittently rotated from said continuous shaft, a pair of paint chambers carried by one of said pair of shafts, an electro-magnetic clutch carried by the other of said pair of shafts, a plunger for each or" said chambers, and a lever Ieffective in one position to cause one of said pair of shafts to be rotated and effective in another position to cause the other of said pair of shafts to be rotated.

5. A machine according to claim 4 in which the '1 means for operating said plungers includes a rack and pinion adapted to be rotated by one of said pair of shafts through said clutch.

6. In a machine of the character described the combination of a rotatable head carrying a pair of paint chambers, a plunger in each chamber for forcing paint there from; a platform carrying a mold to receive said paint, means for raising and lowering said platform, means for rotating said platform, means for rotating said head to bring said chambers alternately into discharge relation with respect to said mold, means for operating said plungers to force paint from a chamber only when in registry with the mold, and a single lever for controlling the operation of all said means.

a vertical plane, said other platform carrying a plurality of paint chambers having their discharge openings facing in opposite directions, a stationary funnel between said two platforms for guiding paint fromthe said chambers to the mold, means for rotating said other platform to bring each of said chambers alternately into registry with said mold, means effective upon such registry for forcing paint out of said chambers, and a pair of jaws for closing said funnel during the rotation of said platforms.

8. A machine according to claim 7 in which the funnel has a resilient discharge end adapted to act as a Wiper in removing excess paint discharged into the mold.

9. In a machine of thecharacter described the combination of a rotatable head carrying a pair of paint chambers, a plunger in each chamber to force paint therefrom, means for operating said plungers, means for rotating said .head, and means for preventing said plungers operating to force out paint while said head is rotating the last-mentioned means including a rotating electro-magnetic clutch for intermittently operating said plunger.

10. A machine according to claim 9 in which the last recited means includes a two-way lever and a pair of shafts, said lever effective in one position to cause rotation of one shaft and to lock the other shaft against rotation.

11. In a machine of the character described the combination of a mold, a rotatable head, a pair of paint chambers having discharge spouts, said chambers being mounted on said head with the spouts facing in opposite directions, automatic means for intermittently rotating said head to bring said spouts alternately into discharge relation with said mold, and means effective upon the attainment of said relation for forcing paint from the chamber into the mold, the last mentioned means including a rotating electro-magnetic clutch and a plunger in each chamber inter mittently operated by said clutch.

12. In a machine for automatically applying radium luminescent paint to a mold, the combination of a rotatable head carrying a plurality of paint chambers, means for automatically expressing paint from each of said chambers including intermittent indexing means for said head, means for automatically rotating said mold, and means for preventing the paint being expressed during rotation of said head, the last mentioned means including a rotating electro-magnetic clutch and a plunger in each chamber intermittently operated by said clutch.

13. In a machine of the character described the combination of a rotatable head carrying a plurality of paint chambers, a rotatable platform carrying a mold, means for raising and lowering said platform, means for indexing said platform, means for rotating said head, means for forcing paint out of said chambers only while said head is stationary, and a single lever for controlling the operation of all said means, said lever being mounted for pivotal movement about mutually perpendicular axes;

14. In a machine of the character described, a paint chamber, a mold forreceiving said paint, means for automatically raising and lowering said mold relatively to said chambers, means for automatically agitating the paint in said chamber, and means for automatically forcing out the paint from the chamber into the mold in timed relation to the raising of said mold.

15. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a head carrying a plurality of paint chambers, a rotating platform beneath said head, a stationary paint guide between said head and said platform, and having a resilient discharge end, a pair of curved jaws cooperating with said resilient discharge end, a shaft carrying one of said jaws. a hollow sleeve surrounding said shaft and carrying the other jaw, a gear on said shaft, a gear on the sleeve, and means for simultaneously rotating said gears in opposite directions to open and close said discharge end.

16. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a rotatable head carrying a plurality of paint chambers, a rotatable platform beneath said head carrying a mold to receive said paint, a stationary flexible wiper for said mold, a pair of movable jaws operatively associated with the wiper, and means for operating said jaws to stop the flow of paint and to remove surplus material from the surface of said mold.

1'7. In a machine for automatically applying radium luminescent paint to a receiving surface the combination of an intermittently revolving head, a refillable paint container supported by said head, and means for ejecting paint from said container, the last mentioned means including a rotating electro-magnetic clutch and a plunger intermittently operated thereby.

18. In a machine for automatically applying radium luminescent paint to a receiving surface, the combination of an intermittently rotatable head, a paint container adjustably mounted on the head, a plunger for the container, and means for operating said plunger in timed relation to the rotation of said head, the last mentioned means including a rotating electro-magnetic clutch, and means for intermittently operating said plunger under control of said clutch.

19. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of means for automatically filling a recessed mold with a paste to form raised characters, said mold having a waxy surface which is non-adherent to such paste when drying, means for bringing a surface adhesively coated only in restricted areas corresponding to said characters into contact with the raised portion of said characters in the mold, and means for separating said surface from said mold to bodily withdraw said characters therefrom in a solid dry' state.

20. A machine of the character described, including a pair of curved jaws, a shaft carrying one of said jaws, a hollow sleeve surrounding said shaft and carrying the other jaw, a gear on the shaft, a gear on the sleeve, and means for simultaneously rotating said gears in opposite directions.

21. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a flexible wiper, a mold with which the wiper contacts, and a pair of movable jaws operatively associated with the wiper and adapted to stop the flow of material from said wiper and to remove surplus material from the surface of the mold.

HOWARD L. PAGE. 

